Sidney Poitier turns 90 today. His best friend of over seven decades, Harry Belafonte, turns 91 on March 1.

When you think of class, excellence and just blackness in Hollywood, these two are at the top of the list.

The two didn't meet until their 20s, yet still call each other best friends. Thanks to the American Negro Theatre, where Poitier worked as a janitor while studying with the company and where Belafonte worked as a stagehand, the two were able to join forces, forging a bond that would alter the course of black performers forever.

A big part of their bond comes from everything they had in common.

Not only were they about the same age, but they both have a West Indian background, enabling them to approach the ignorance of racism in America from the same perspective.

The journey of their friendship covered all sorts of ground. Belafonte was a shoulder for Poitier to cry on throughout his rocky marriage. They challenged each other professionally, with Poitier's serving as a sounding board during his time as Belafonte’s understudy. And because they were both talented in an industry that did not have many actors that shared their skin tone, each would often take roles the other turned down.

The only thing better than finding a loyal best friend that shares your goals and interests is winning with them.

In the 1950s Belafonte was dubbed the “King of Calypso” after his breakthrough album Calypso became the first LP in America to sell a million copies; not long after, Poitier became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Legends by anyone's standard.

Just as they did professionally, they paired in assisting one another in making a difference in the fight for civil rights.

In 1964, Belafonte convinced Poitier to help him deliver $70,000 to Freedom Summer volunteers.

And Belafonte and Poitier formed a committee to support the movement and raised thousands of dollars in bail money to pay for the release of arrested protesters. Their efforts also helped to finance freedom rides and to bankroll the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

When I think of friendship goals I immediately refer to these two, who, now having reached 90, have managed to show how to go after what you want and fight for what you believe in.

Harry Belefonte

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